This invention relates to integrated circuit devices, and more particularly to integrated circuit devices that include both programmable logic and microprocessor circuitry or capabilities.
Programmable logic integrated circuit devices are well known, as is shown, for example, by Jefferson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,215,326. Consideration is now being given to various ways of combining programmable logic circuitry, microprocessor-type circuitry, and possibly other types of circuitry on a single integrated circuit to provide even more powerful devices.
In one aspect of the present invention, an integrated circuit includes programmable logic circuitry and circuitry configured to initiate a connection between the integrated circuit and an external source of data for configuring the programmable logic circuitry. The circuitry that is in addition to the programmable logic circuitry may include processor circuitry, external signaling circuitry, non-volatile memory circuitry, re-writable memory circuitry, and interconnection bus circuitry. In addition to other possible uses, some or all of the circuitry on the integrated circuit that is in addition to the programmable logic circuitry is typically used to control at least some aspects of configuration of the programmable logic circuitry. The same may additionally or alternatively be true for subsequent reconfiguration of the programmable logic circuitry, assuming that the programmable logic circuitry is reconfigurable. The programmable logic circuitry itself may be used as a temporary communications port for allowing the integrated circuit to receive the data that will later be used to further configure or reconfigure the programmable logic circuitry.
In another aspect of the invention, methods of operating integrated circuits of the type described above are provided. In particular, the operating methods of the invention are for configuring and/or reconfiguring the programmable logic circuitry of the above-mentioned integrated circuits. For example, when the integrated circuit is started, the processor circuitry may be booted up and may then use the external signaling circuitry to bring in data for use in configuring the programmable logic circuitry. This configuration data may need buffering and/or other processing such as decompression and/or decryption. The processor circuitry may control such operations as temporarily storing the data in memory circuitry on the integrated circuit, decompressing and/or decrypting the data, and then using the data to configure the programmable logic circuitry. An initial configuration of the programmable logic circuitry may enable that circuitry to at least temporarily operate as more sophisticated external signaling circuitry, via which other configuration data can be brought into the integrated circuit. This other configuration data can then be used to further configure or reconfigure the programmable logic circuitry. Assuming that the programmable logic circuitry is reconfigurable, procedures similar to those described above can be used to reconfigure the programmable logic circuitry whenever desired.